New England Commitment Catch-Up (01/18)

Halfway through the first month of the calendar year and we've got another wave of college commitments in New England.   Below are eight prospects that recently announced their plans for next year.   [player_tooltip player_id='2341414' first='Alexander' last='Echevarria']   Echevarria, a guard out of the St. Mark's School in Massachusetts, made his plans for the next level official when he announced that he'll attend Trinity College (CT). A talented offensive prospect, Echevarria has done a nice job of developing his overall game on that end of the floor, morphing from a scorer to a true lead guard. He takes care of the ball in the half court, can score it at all three levels, and buys in on the defensive end of the floor. He should have a nice four-year career in the NESCAC and is another quality piece in what's shaping up to be a terrific class for Trinity.   [player_tooltip player_id='2407063' first='Adrian' last='Shepard Jr.']   Shepard, a wing out of Tabor Academy in Massachusetts, came off the board with his commitment to Union College. The two-way wing has impressed this winter with his ability to make plays with the ball in his hands and to defend multiple positions on the other end of the floor. At 6'4", he has good size and with plus length and athleticism, has found a way to make an impact with his effort level and instincts. He scores it in transition, makes good decisions in the half-court, and creates turnovers at a high level. He'll have the chance to make an immediate impact for Union and could develop into one of the top perimeter defenders in the Liberty League.   [player_tooltip player_id='2543553' first='Eren' last='Ozcelik']   Ozcelik, a wing out of Brewster Academy in New Hampshire, finalized his future plans with a commitment to Trinity University (TX). A big wing with plus athleticism, he's a proven three level scorer that does a nice job of knocking down shots in catch and shoot situations and also in attacking closeouts to get to the rim as a finisher. He takes advantage of smaller defenders in the post, showing comfort as a back to the basket scorer on the block. Defensively, his versatility stands out as he can defend guards in space or bigs in the paint. His combination of athleticism, positional size, and skill should give him the opportunity to make an early impact at Trinity, where he could develop into one of the better wings in the SAA.   [player_tooltip player_id='2874988' first='Brendan' last='McDonald']   McDonald, a guard out of the Pomfret School in Connecticut, wrapped up his recruitment when he announced that he'll attend the Rochester Institute of Technology. An instinctive lead guard, he does a great job of pushing the tempo in transition, has proven to be able to score in a variety of ways around the rim, and excels at getting a piece of the paint as a driver. He makes the game easier for his teammates on the offensive end of the floor, while proving to be a disruptive presence defensively with his activity level and quickness. The high IQ guard is a nice fit in the Liberty League and should be able to carve out a nice role during his time at RIT.   [player_tooltip player_id='2553820' first='Bryce' last='Ballou']   Ballou, a guard out of Mascoma Valley Regional High School in New Hampshire, ended his recruitment with a commitment to the New Hampshire Technical Institute. A big part of the reason why Mascoma Valley is currently 8-0, the scoring guard is averaging an impressive 21.1 points per game. He's got a quick first step with the ball in his hands, knows how to move without the ball to get open, and is able to score with touch over size in the paint. He's comfortable making decisions with the ball in his hands and can really knock down shots from behind the arc when he gets going. He should develop into a nice piece in NHTI's back-court and will make an impact on their success in the USCAA.   [player_tooltip player_id='2553839' first='Lucas' last='LeGage']   LeGage, a guard out of Portland High School in Maine, announced his plans for the next level with a commitment to Wentworth Institute of Technology. His best skill is his ability to score the basketball, particularly in catch and shoot situations. He does a great job of moving without the basketball and within the flow of an offense, is consistently shot ready on the catch, and is able to make jumpers with deep range. He's done a nice job of developing his handle, showing the ability to make decisions in the half-court and to get by the initial defender in isolation situations. The scoring guard could help Wentworth on the offensive end of the floor from Day 1 and is a really good fit in the CNE.   [player_tooltip player_id='2898403' first='Garrett' last='Hall']   Hall, a forward out of Alvirne High School in New Hampshire, made his plans for the next level official with a commitment to Skidmore College. The burly forward is averaging 14.6 points per game on the season and does a great job of using his frame to his advantage as a low post scorer. He's capable of making mid-range jumpers, does a nice job of rolling hard to the rim out of ball screens, and shows good instincts on the offensive glass. A good athlete, he uses that to his advantage on the defensive glass and also when protecting the rim. Rebounding normally translates to the next level, which means Hall should be able to find a way to contribute early at Skidmore, where he could develop into a solid front-court contributor in the Liberty League.   [player_tooltip player_id='2696644' first='Jordan' last='McFadden']   McFadden, a guard out of Worcester Academy in Massachusetts, came off the board when he announced that he'll attend Assumption University. A true combo guard, he's a blur in the open floor, utilizes a quick first step when attacking the rim off the bounce, and is a crafty scorer both in the mid-range and around the rim. Off the ball, he's really done a nice job of improving the consistency of his perimeter jumper and is an instinctive cutter. Defensively, his combination of quickness, positional size, and length allow him to guard any perimeter position and to do so while generating plenty of steals and deflections. He'll join a program on the rise in the Northeast-10 and should be able to help Assumption win a lot of games over the next four years.

Halfway through the first month of the calendar year and we've got another wave of college commitments in New England.